''The Slave Hunters'' () is a 2010 South Korean action historical drama set in the

Joseon Dynasty Joseon (; ; Middle Korean: 됴ᇢ〯션〮 Dyǒw syéon or 됴ᇢ〯션〯 Dyǒw syěon), officially the Great Joseon (; ), was the last dynastic kingdom of Korea, lasting just over 500 years. It was founded by Yi Seong-gye in July 1392 and r ...

about a slave hunter (played by

Jang Hyuk Jeong Yong-jun (born December 20, 1976), better known as Jang Hyuk, is a South Korean actor. He is best known for his leading roles in the films ''Volcano High'' (2001) and ''Windstruck'' (2004), and the television dramas '' Successful Story of ...

) who is tracking down a general-turned-runaway slave (

Oh Ji-ho Oh Ji-ho (born April 14, 1976) is a South Korean actor. He is best known for the television dramas '' Couple or Trouble'' (2006), '' The Slave Hunters'' (2010), ''Queen of the Office'' (2013) and ''My Fair Lady'' (2016). Career Oh was born and r ...

) as well as searching for the woman he loves (

Lee Da-hae Lee Da-hae, or Lee Da-hey (born Byun Da-hye on April 19, 1984) is a Korean Australian actress. She is best known for her roles in Korean dramas such as ''Heaven's Fate'' (2004), '' My Girl'' (2005), ''Green Rose'' (2005), ''The Slave Hunters'' ( ...

). It aired on

KBS2 The Korean Broadcasting System (KBS) () is the national broadcaster of South Korea. Founded in February 1927, it is one of the leading South Korean television and radio broadcasters. KBS operates seven radio networks, ten television channels, a ...

from January 6 to March 25, 2010 on Wednesdays and Thursdays at 21:55 for 24 episodes. An adequate display of muscular brawn, intricate yet gritty fight scenes, bawdy humor and eloquent moments of pathos and humanity made the series both visually and intellectually appealing to audiences. Critics gave special mention to director Kwak Jung-hwan's lush cinematography, the use of a Red One camera giving each shot its theater-worthy luster. The hit series topped the ratings chart for 7 consecutive weeks, averaging 31.7% and reaching a peak of 35.9%. In 2010, the series was honored at the

Seoul International Drama Awards Seoul International Drama Awards (), simply known as SDA, is an annual award ceremony based in Seoul, South Korea which honors excellence in television drama productions worldwide. Winners Grand prize (''Daesang'') Program Winners are given ...

, and the

KBS Drama Awards The KBS Drama Awards () is an awards ceremony presented by the Korean Broadcasting System The Korean Broadcasting System (KBS) () is the national broadcaster of South Korea. Founded in February 1927, it is one of the leading South Korean te ...

(notably the highest prize Daesang for lead actor

). Jang also received a best actor nomination from the 2011 International Emmy Awards for his performance.

Synopsis

Set during the

, ''The Slave Hunters'' follows the story of Lee Dae-gil, Song Tae-ha, and Kim Hye-won. Lee Dae-gil is a man from a

noble family Nobility is a social class found in many societies that have an aristocracy. It is normally ranked immediately below royalty. Nobility has often been an estate of the realm with many exclusive functions and characteristics. The characteris ...

, whose life is ruined by Keun-nom (큰놈이, literally "Big One"), a slave owned by Dae-gil's family. Because Keun-nom's sister Un-nyun and the young master Dae-gil are in love, Dae-gil's parents lock Un-nyun in a shed and leave her to die of dehydration. So Keun-nom burns down Dae-gil's house while rescuing her, then uses a

sickle A sickle, bagging hook, reaping-hook or grasshook is a single-handed agricultural tool designed with variously curved blades and typically used for harvesting, or reaping, grain crops or cutting Succulent plant, succulent forage chiefly for feed ...

to slash Dae-gil's face. The house collapses shortly after, and Keun-nom and Un-nyun believe Dae-gil to be dead. Keun-nom runs away with Un-nyun and eventually accumulates enough wealth to buy the Jokbo of a noble family to change his identity. Under his new identity as the member of the noble Kim family, he then changes his name to Kim Seong-hwan and his sister Un-nyun's name to Kim Hye-won. Driven by his desire for revenge as well as his obsession/love for Un-nyun, Dae-gil endures ten harsh years on the street and makes his name as a slave hunter. Dae-gil carries a sketch of Un-nyun at all times and searches for her wherever he goes. Song Tae-ha is a military general who has spent years serving

Crown Prince Sohyeon Crown Prince Sohyeon (소현세자, 昭顯世子, 5 February 1612 – 21 May 1645) was the first son of King Injo of Joseon Dynasty. Sohyeon was a hostage in the Manchu court at Shenyang, by the terms of the peace treaty concluded after War ...

, who was living in China as a political hostage after Joseon lost the war with the Qing Dynasty. Upon their release to Joseon, they find themselves embroiled in an even bigger political turmoil. The crown prince dies under suspicious circumstances shortly after returning to Joseon, the crown princess and two of his three young sons are also killed while the youngest son is exiled on Cheju island. Tae-ha is framed for stealing military rations and is demoted to a slave along with his loyal subordinates. When Tae-ha learns that the exiled youngest son of the late prince, who he believes to be the only rightful heir to the crown, is in danger, he is determined to protect him and have him declared the new crown prince. He escapes forced labor and sets off his journey to Jeju island. Along the way, Tae-ha comes across Hye-won/Un-nyun, who is on the run from an arranged marriage to a powerful noble, and saves her from danger. Dae-gil is hired to capture Tae-ha and chases after him, who, unbeknownst to Dae-gil, is now traveling and starting a romantic relationship with the woman for whom he has been obsessively searching for ten years.

Cast

Main

as Lee Dae-gil *

as Song Tae-ha *

as Un-nyun / Kim Hye-won *

Gong Hyung-jin Gong Hyung-jin (born April 10, 1969) is a South Korean actor. While best known as a supporting actor notably in '' Taegukgi'', ''Liar'', ''Marrying the Mafia II'' and '' Alone in Love'', Gong has also played leading roles in ''North Korean Guys ...

as Eop-bok * Lee Jong-hyuk as Hwang Chul-woong *

Han Jung-soo Han Jung-soo (born November 20, 1973) is a South Korean actor. He is best known for his roles in the television series ''The Slave Hunters'' and ''Prosecutor Princess''. Filmography Television series Film Television show Theater Referen ...

as Janggoon Choi ("General Choi") * Kim Ji-seok as Wang-son ("big hand") *

Sung Dong-il Sung Dong-il (born April 27, 1967) is a South Korean actor. Sung made his acting debut in theater in 1987, then was recruited at the 1991 SBS open talent auditions. He rose to fame as the comic, Jeolla dialect-speaking character "Red Socks" in ...

as Chun Ji-ho *

Kim Eung-soo Kim Eung-soo (; born February 12, 1961) is a South Korean actor. Kim lived in Japan for seven years, where he studied filmmaking at the Japan Institute of the Moving Image The , formerly known as the Yokohama Broadcasting Technical School, is a ...

as Lee Gyeong-sik *

Kim Ha-eun Kim Ha-eun (born Kim Hyun-jin; January 3, 1984) is a South Korean actress. She is best known for her roles in the television series ''Conspiracy in the Court'', and ''The Slave Hunters''. She is also the CEO A chief executive officer (CEO), ...

as Seol-hwa

Supporting

*Min Ji-ah as Cho-bok *Yoon Gi-won as Won Ki-yoon *

Danny Ahn Danny Ahn (Hangul: 데니안; born December 22, 1978) is a Korean-American entertainer best known as the main rapper of the South Korean pop music group g.o.d. He is notable for his unique rapping. Having made his debut in the entertainment indu ...

as Baek-ho *

Yoon Ji-min Yoon Ji-min (born Yoon Ji-young on October 23, 1977) is a South Korean actress and model. She played Ji in the period action series '' Warrior Baek Dong-soo''. Personal life She married actor Kwon Min (Kwon Hae-sung) on July 13, 2013 at THE RAU ...

as Yoon-ji *Jo Jae-wan as Keun-nom / Kim Seong-hwan *

Ahn Suk-hwan Ahn Suk-hwan (Hangul: 안석환; real name: Ahn Jin-hyeong (Hangul: 안진형); November 1, 1959) is a South Korean actor. Ahn has been active in theater, film and television since 1986. His onscreen roles include both comedic and villainous sup ...

as Hwabaek Bang *

Lee Han-wi Lee Han-wi (born June 17, 1961) is a South Korean actor. Since his acting debut in 1983, Lee has become a prolific supporting actor A supporting actor is an actor who performs a role in a play or film below that of the leading actor(s), and ...

as Pogyo Oh *

Yoon Mun-sik Yoon Mun-sik (born 1943) is a South Korean actor. ''Joong-Ang Magazine'' ranked him as Korea's most powerful theatrical person. His stage and subsequent film career spanned a total of 40 years, during which he made about 40 musical films and 19 m ...

as Horse doctor * Jo Mi-ryung as Keun Jumo ("elder hostess") *

Yoon Joo-hee Yoon Joo-hee (born February 21, 1985) is a South Korean actress. She is best known for starring in the multi-season medical/ crime procedural cable TV series ''Quiz of God ''Quiz of God'' () is a South Korean television series broadcast on c ...

as Jakeun Jumo ("young hostess") * Cho Jin-woong as Kwak Han-seom *

Park Ki-woong Park Ki-woong (born February 13, 1985) is a South Korean actor. He is best known for the TV series '' The Slingshot'' (2009) and '' Bridal Mask'' (2012), Return (2018) and Rookie Historian Goo Hae-ryung (2019) as well as the films ''My Tutor F ...

as Geu boon ("that person") *Kim Ha-yoon as Crown Princess Kang *Yoon Dong-hwan as Long Guda (General Qing) *Kim Young-ae as Mogabi *

Kim Kap-soo Kim Kap-soo (born April 7, 1957) is a South Korean actor. Since his acting debut in 1977, Kim has had a long career on the stage, in television dramas and film. In addition to acting full-time, he also has his own master class acting studio. F ...

as King Injo *Ha Si-eun as Lee Sun-young (Chul-woong's wife) *Jo Sung-il as Lee Kwang-jae *Kim Jin-woo as Lee Seok-gyeon *Kang Sung-min as

* Lee In as Grand Prince Bongrim *Lee Dae-ro as Im Yeong-ho * Choi Deok-moon as

Seonbi Seonbi or sŏnbi were scholars during the Goryeo and Joseon periods of Korea who served the public without a government position, choosing to pass up positions of wealth and power to lead lives of study and integrity. Those who chose to serve the ...

Jo *

Joo Da-young Joo Da-young (born June 16, 1995) is a South Korean actress. She graduated from Chung-Ang University, Department of Theater and Film in 2014. She started her acting career as a child actress in 1999 with KBS1 television series ''TV Novel: Siste ...

as Eun-sil *

Ahn Gil-kang Ahn Gil-kang (born August 24, 1966) is a South Korean actor. He frequently appears as a supporting actor in director Ryoo Seung-wan's films, such as '' Die Bad'' (2000), '' Crying Fist'' (2005), ''The City of Violence'' (2006), and '' Dachimawa L ...

as Jjak-gui ("slat ear") *Yoon Jin-ho as Park Jong-soo * Kim Young-ok as Chul-woong's mother *Song Seo-yeon as

Kisaeng Kisaeng (Hangul: 기생, Hanja: 妓生, RR: ''Gisaeng''), also called ginyeo (Hangul: 기녀, Hanja: 妓女), were women from outcast or slave families who were trained to be courtesans, providing artistic entertainment and conversation to men ...

Chan *

Go Joon-hee Go Joon-hee (born Kim Eun-joo on August 31, 1985) is a South Korean actress. She made her entertainment debut as a school uniform model in 2001, then launched an acting career in 2003. Background Kim adopted the stage name Go Joon-hee in 2008, ...

as Je-ni *Wi Yang-ho as Bandit boss *

Lee Dae-yeon Lee Dae-yeon (born November 13, 1964) is a South Korean actor. Filmography Film Television series Theater Awards and nominations References External links Lee Dae-yeonat JR Entertainment * * * 1964 births Living ...

Bhikkhu A ''bhikkhu'' (Pali: भिक्खु, Sanskrit: भिक्षु, ''bhikṣu'') is an ordained male in Buddhist monasticism. Male and female monastics ("nun", ''bhikkhunī'', Sanskrit ''bhikṣuṇī'') are members of the Sangha (Buddhist ...

Myung-ahn *

Jo Hee-bong Jo Hee-bong (born August 23, 1971) is a South Korean actor. Hee-bong began his acting career in 1997 as part of the theatre troupe Bipa (비파). He later became known as a supporting actor onscreen, in films such as '' Blind'' (2011) and ''Inco ...

as Kkeut-bong *Sa Hyun-jin as Jang Pil-soon *Park Hee-jin as Village woman *Hwang Hyeon-hee as Spy at the inn *Kim Kyeong-jin as Boatman *Jang Dong-min as Bookstore owner *Jung Ho-bin as General Shin *Jeon Se-hyeon as Wang-son's lover

Special appearances

Lee Won-jong Lee Won-jong (born January 1, 1966) is a South Korean actor. Filmography Film Television series Variety shows Theater *''Blind'' (2010) *''The Masked Hut Murder Case'' (2022) - Nobuhiko Awards *2002 SBS Drama Awards: Best Supporting Act ...

as Double-acting slave at the training site * Yoo Chae-yeong as Wang-son's lover * Choi Cheol-ho as Monk inside the jail *Oh Ji-heon as Bandit *

Jo Sung-ha Jo Sung-ha (; born August 8, 1966) is a South Korean actor. He is best known for his supporting roles in '' The Yellow Sea'' (2010), '' Helpless'' (2012), and '' Korean Peninsula'' (2012) and '' The K2'' (2016). Filmography Film Television ...

as Lee Jae-joon * Marco as

Yangban The ''yangban'' () were part of the traditional ruling class or gentry of dynastic Korea during the Joseon Dynasty. The ''yangban'' were mainly composed of highly educated civil servants and military officers—landed or unlanded aristocrats ...

* Kim Sung-soo as Citizen * Kim Chang-ryul as Citizen * Lee Ha-neul as Citizen *Han Min-kwan as Citizen

Original soundtrack

Ratings

Source
TNS Media Korea

Awards and nominations

References

External links

* * * * {{DEFAULTSORT:Slave Hunters, The Korean Broadcasting System television dramas 2010 South Korean television series debuts 2010 South Korean television series endings Korean-language television shows Television series set in the Joseon dynasty South Korean historical television series South Korean action television series Television series by Chorokbaem Media